How students can bring the Grand Challenge Scholars Program to their campus

From University Innovation

Contents

Introduction

The Grand Challenge Scholars Program (GCSP) is a special initiative of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), which is the preeminent engineering organization in the world.

In 2008, the NAE identified fourteen "Grand Challenges" that engineers face in order to make progress toward a sustainable world — one that provides all people with more than just their basic needs and aspires to a higher level of living.

3. If you are a U.S. school, email your completed operational document to Dr. Jenna Carpenter (CARPENTER@CAMPBELL.EDU). If you are a school located outside of the U.S., email your completed operational document to Dr. Christina White (CHRISTINA@SMART.MIT.EDU). The Steering Committee will review it and provide you with feedback (most applicants do two revisions). Once the Steering Committee approves your operational document, you are officially a member of the NAE GCSP family!

Suggestions

As schools look for innovative ways to bring in GCSP，here’s a possible road map for how to galvanize a school community.

1. Organize a teacher research and development team to dig deep into GCSP learning by having these teachers read widely on the topic, visit local businesses and industries engaged in GCSP work to interview real-world practitioners to find out what students need to be successful in these fields. This group can be comprised of 6 to 8 people and can act as the steering group for beginning an exploration of GCSP learning in a school community.

2. Have the team led several faculty meeting times to have teachers engage in the conversation around GCSP, and to explore and develop GCSP-related learning experiences in classrooms. This creates a safe space for learning and experimentation and provides a feedback loop for teachers as they try to understand the components of GCSP lesson and unit design.

3. Conduct curriculum reviews of relevant departments and take a close look at the Next Generation Science Standards to see where there are opportunities to incorporate GCSP into the already existing curriculum.

4. Have teachers and students visit other GCSP schools to engage in conversations with other teachers to figure out how best to begin to make inroads in GCSP.

5. Bring an outside GCSP expert to cast a lens on the existing programs. It is always helpful to have an outsider’s eyes on the internal workings of a school so that the school can learn more about itself and how to grow.

6. Invite guest scientists in to the school to conduct experiments with students and to talk about what it is like to work in a GCSP field.

7. Entrepreneurship training is seen as a vital part of kids’ schooling. Whether it’s through after-school programs, summer camps, competitions, or in-class activities, advocates believe that learning the ins and outs of business-building can help develop some important real-world skills.